In these dark days the kaleidoscopic psychedelia of the ERIK PARKER’s amorphous portraiture provides a much-needed dose of visual overstimulation. Working with an incredible sense of whimsy and dynamism, the German-born painter is truly free as he creates these incredibly bizarre semi-representational renderings of what seem to be melting characters from some bizarre futuristic space opera gone wrong. Bold in both color and composition, the works on display at his “Crisis Creation” show at PAUL KASMIN GALLERY in NYC are truly a reflection of the artist’s reeling imagination and disregard for convention. In the words of the NY TIMES' art scribe KEN JOHNSON:

"Working under the influence of acid rock posters, underground comics, Mad magazine, Ed (Big Daddy) Roth, Giuseppe Arcimboldo and Peter Saul, Mr. Parker has created a series of zany, neon-bright, imaginary portraits: goggle-eyed heads that are disintegrating into spaghetti-like strands and countless little blobs. Viewing them is like seeing into a mirror through the eyes of a furiously hallucinating drug fiend."

The art world lost one of its great countercultural pioneers this Sunday morning, June 1st when psychedelic artist ALTON KELLEY passed away in Northern California at age 68. He is best known as half of the famous poster design team of "Kelley & Mouse" (the "Mouse" in question being one Stanley Mouse) who together fabricated some of the most iconic images of the 1960s & early '70s psychedelic movement. Both shared a profound love of hot rods, motorcycles, and general outlaw culture and the pair worked in tandem to create some of the most memorable concert posters for Bill Graham's Fillmore East & West and Chet Helms' Family Dog venues, including the legendary and ubiquitous Read More

Brooklyn neighbors and comrades-in-arms KAWS and MARK DEAN VECA are long overdue for a full-scale artist collaboration on canvas (come one guys, make it happen), but in the meantime, Mr Veca's new guest T-shirt graphic for KAWS' Tokyo-based ORIGINAL FAKE brand featuring his insanely intricate graphic stylings will have to tide us over. OlÃ¢â‚¬â„¢ Chum never looked so good. Make that gross...